In the wake of Renee Good’s murder by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 7, 2026, Zach Bryan’s new song “Bad News” just hits different. The song talks about the injustices Americans face on a daily basis, especially in the face of division among people.
“Bad News” was released as the 10th track in Zach Bryan’s 6th studio album ‘With Heaven On Top.’ The album follows his 2025 project ‘The Great American Bar Scene.’
Zach Bryan took to Instagram stories to talk about the inspiration behind the song; “This shows you how divisive a narrative can be when shoved down our throats through social media. This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything. When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle. Everyone using this now as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divided we all are. We need to find our way back. I served this country, I love this country and the song itself is about all of us coming out of this divided space.”
Zach Bryan enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17 and served the country for 8 years.
Listen to “Bad News” by Zach Bryan
Zach Bryan “Bad News” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
The premise of the song is Zach Bryan’s perspective on the political scene in the United States at the moment. However, Zach Bryan takes no sides in the left vs right campaign. He stands with the country and its people.
I got somе bad news
The fading of the rеd, white and blue
He is referring to the American flag, which contains the colors red, white, and blue. The singer believes that everything happening in the country at the moment does not help it or its people. The colors also refer to the diversity of people and talent that built the country up. Mass deportations of non-white nationals have contributed to the outflow of talent and resources.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) force has been tasked to locate ‘illegal aliens’ and deport them by any means necessary. ICE has been responsible for 32 deaths of people in ICE custody just in 2025.
This land’s your land
This land mine too
Zach Bryan questions if America is the ‘land of the free’ anymore, if people have to pay the price in their lives just to be in the country. Whose land is it?
I served eight years just to be told
That nobody cares and land’s all sold
Zach Bryan does not want to believe that the country he served has become a laughing stock of the world. The USA seems hell-bent on bringing peace to countries with abundant resources. The Trump administration has been declaring that Canada become its 51st state and that Greenland be invaded. Both Canada and Greenland have vast quantities of untapped natural resources, including oil, uranium, and other rare-earth minerals. Trump recently invaded Venezuela for the love of its people and arrested its illegitimate leader, Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela also happens to have the world’s largest oil reserves, surpassing those of the United Arab Emirates. Every day, there is some sort of comedic news from the White House that only they find sane and logical.
What do you think about this song by Zach Bryan? Let us know in the comments below. Read the complete lyrics to the song on Genius.